Renaldo Capaldi (1938 – 2008)
by Ron Howard
B&F November 2008
Renaldo Capaldi, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, passed away on Sunday, October 5th 2008 at the age of 70. Born in 1938 into a musical family, Renaldo (known to his friends as Ron) was the son of Carmino Capaldi who, with his brother Nick, formed The Capaldi Brothers, a leading accordion duo touring variety theatres in the late 1920s and 30s. Nick’s son, Jim Capaldi (1944 – 2005) became an internationally known singer / songwriter, with hit records such as Love Hurts, and younger son Nick is (at the time of writing) the drummer with Joe Brown and the Bruvvers.
Ron Capaldi became a very fine solo concert accordionist, appearing at accordion events and in professional musical productions around Great Britain for many years. Also an accordion and guitar teacher, composer, arranger, NAO Festival adjudicator, and BCA Examiner, Ron Capaldi made a steady living from his musical prowess. He made one recording, Pure Accordion, which features accordion specialties performed on his beloved Hohner Gola.
In 1986, he became proprietor and editor of the Accordion Times, until ill health forced him to sell the magazine to Robert Rolston in 1990.
Sadly, Renaldo Capaldi was troubled by poor health throughout his life, and this limited his activities more and more as he grew older, until he retired in 2002. He is survived by wife Anne, son Paul, a professional accordionist and teacher (based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders) and grandchildren.
Ron Capaldi became a very fine solo concert accordionist, appearing at accordion events and in professional musical productions around Great Britain for many years. Also an accordion and guitar teacher, composer, arranger, NAO Festival adjudicator, and BCA Examiner, Ron Capaldi made a steady living from his musical prowess. He made one recording, Pure Accordion, which features accordion specialties performed on his beloved Hohner Gola.
In 1986, he became proprietor and editor of the Accordion Times, until ill health forced him to sell the magazine to Robert Rolston in 1990.
Sadly, Renaldo Capaldi was troubled by poor health throughout his life, and this limited his activities more and more as he grew older, until he retired in 2002. He is survived by wife Anne, son Paul, a professional accordionist and teacher (based in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders) and grandchildren.